Device for determining turbidity within a body of liquid



Jan. I 1952 P. M H. ALBERT DEVICE FOR DETERMINING TURBIDITY WITHIN A BODY OF LIQUID Filed April 25, 1949 .-1 ii 1. w R WW R g T hlqi 1 ll" 3 N a l l E a fii'l'lt Q Q Paul McH. Albert 9 B M406 v Patented Jan. 1, 1952 PY F QUID P 51 .193- sw ne.

ich.

A p al in as; 194a mamlsiii'zl This inventii rela es apparatus for; deters g, .the ,turbidityi of fluids and it has for its main subject to provide a ,turbidimeter whiehlis, arranged for immersion ,and for horizontal. and vertical displacementrand whieh is therefore ca a le measu i h rtur d tyi ex stingiat any givenj place within a bodylofi l uid. irr'espc; tive 91 :the circumstance whether. said li'quidwis. at e tqrnowine or isico te nediw h its t a be pr is stored within a reservoir, a tank or the like. i M n ind s ia o era qns e u ea Q tinu-i i s .QrlCur nt ea u emen -o t urbidi ybf a liquid and it has. therefore been 1 customary. to; measure .,the vturbidity of a liquid in; bulkfliby means of hotometric operations, for instance. by using a photo-electric cell and a souree of light atransed n. ot i smofi .aqtransparent on inme t.con u t hr h: whi t quid to i-bemnea ur d ses-i The turbidityeisi then it measured ,kby] the. extent to. ,fliwhich light a ti s hrou h l t e. saidiicellhcon a nertorcom, duit absorbed; ZIfhecontainer;oriclmduit may, either belocated the main stream of the liquid or in aside stream.,. in .t i t v t QTh phqto electricicellland the sourcejoi light:

2 Ciaim s (01. 88 -14)" .i terminedpoint swithinfthe -body.,of liquid whilefurnishinggthe beam passingithrol h the. liquid 7 are in these cases alwayswarranged outsidethe liquid itself and the latte A ia part, thereof passes between them in thejform of a sheetJor layer or of a small streamlet carrying a given quanti y i.of ;th .i l qu d, p s t be m wi h a. iven t me, v b us this." me hqdflisLnmainlyi pp icable t asesin hi h t iquid owin or streamin C Q tinuOuSIy, forlinstanoe to "cases. in which a liquid productof a manuiacturing or, refiningprocess is on its way to. further treat-' ment or to a storage or tr ansporltation tank, Likewise. the method'mayipr;insta ce be"; ape li to theip se .or dr nkin wa er pumped f om a collectingreservoir into local reservoirs or into 'l fi i A. t n, l gwhere motionles or stagnant liquids have to at-i vestigat d e Q Z EMPlQR- W Q u l be ta'ken al d to be filledin appropriatecells org,

i o terlaced to the beam i im in n n the. ph t -eleetricwee l on an, t ficial; circulae tion igrl measuring purpgses thrpugh a trans P en c nduit has e e re u e 4,19 how ve obvio s. t at hese tv jla ti amed :me Qd i nrq n mam/i. qtawh c ema d i iicul ies esp cial n those. as sj in whichut e exact configuration oi strata iof gdiijerenti nh s ann d oriwheresthegvariations0i the turbidity at pertain points has tdbe: T

ri e currently. addition; to.-,tech nical difficulties both .methodswaret likely .toi-disturbathe existing conditions tandimoreover there is an appreciable time lag't-betweenthe takingof the samples andt Turbidity 1 measurements takenhin this way are therefore deficient in the A. measurement. 1;

accuracy -e mi i i 'llEhespres entinvention has for its object-:to

provide phOtoJ-eIectricJ. measuring equipment whichviislsubmersible and displaceable in three, dimensions and which therefore permits to bringthev beam theaabsorption of whichihas to -bee measured .to anyhpredetermined point withinlal body. of .liquid at which turbidity measurement is desirable. 5.; .7 i

,A further object consists in:

subdividingthe equipment in such-amanner that theimeasuring beam can be produced at. a predetheindicating. apparatustremains stationary and outside .the. ibodyitofs liquid ,thus permitting cur-i It igaiurthenobject of-the invention to provide adeviceior. detecting or measuring turbid! ity by the absorptionmofi light within a liquid: which tismso subdivided that i the beam producing and beam receiving means .are submersible and i are moredverlprovided 'with. means for. changing the depth of submersion, said "r'neans being[fur-- thersprqyided with i. depth. indicators" permitting toigaugeiexalctly the point at which the equipment is used. I 1 i It is a further objectioi the Diamante; hi-1.

vide tulibidity measuringl iequiprnent which may beidisbla'ced horizontallylalong the body' of the liquid therindicating equipment being in thisca'lse.

displaced simultaneously with 'thebeam producinga'nd depth'changing equipment. is .i

tIt is-iamfultther object or theiinventibn to biog,

vide ,means for" i-indicatingl the position. i of the beamwithin, the name which. are readable con-i currently .wwith; the

indication relative to the lightlabsorntionm It is a further objector the invention. to provideja beamrproducingliand a" beamlreceiying't light. sensitive unitlwhich isiIsaeonstrueted that it will not be materially afiectedby lightpener trating intotheibody of liquidlfrom above which varies'with the depth tol whifch the equipment is submfi f ed land with the light absorbing are ti s gth li u m a furtheipobict oi'the invention -to p564; turbidity indicating bnmeasur'ing device i of the type measuring the light absorption within a liquid in'which the light beam is projected between two independent, spaced structures facing each other which are rigidly connected at one end and which form a submersible unit, said unit being preferably so arranged that the beam passes horizontally near one end of the structure when the unit is in operative position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a travelling turbidity detector for indicating or measuring theturbidity at any desired point within a body of liquid in which spaced, watertight light beam projecting and light beam receiving structures are used which are wedge- -absolute but the relative turbidity which has to shaped at their ends so as toi'cause a minimum of disturbance in the liquid when moved.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a turbidity detector having spaced box-like structures fixedly but adjustably held at a predetermined distance on a horizontal crossbar, each of said structures being provided with'tubular distance pieces projecting downwardly from said crossbar at *i'ight angles thereof, said distance pieces-being provided with reflecting prisms with vertical exit surfaces facing each other, said prisms permitting to send a horizontal light beam through the liquid in which the structure is submerged near the lowermost end of the structure.

Further and more specific objects of the'inven' tion will be apparent from the following detailed specification. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings showing one modification and two applications of the same by way of example. It is however to be understood that these examples intend to illustrate mainly the principle of the invention and the best modes of applying this principle. Modifications of the examples shown are therefore not necessarily departures from the principle of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is' Figure 5 illustrates a further application of the invention as an automatic indicator for the height of a sludge bed in a tank.

As above explained the invention essentially consists in means for bringing the beam of a light absorption turbidity meter to a point within the body of liquid to be investigated, the sample or batch the turbidity of which is to be measured being therefore within its natural or'customary environment. This method is therefore distinguished from the methods used according toth'e prior art in which the sample or batch was always brought to the apparatus measuring the turbidity either by directing the flow of part of the liquid through the apparatus or by the transportation of the sample or batch to the point at which said turbidity is measured.

In order to bring the beam to a desired point within a body of. liquid at which the light absorption is to be measured the apparatus must be divided into a number of displaceable units or sections. These sections include a beam producing and beam receiving submersible section II], the

be measured, although the instrument may of course be constructed for absolute indication.

The measuring or beam emitting and receiving unit H1 in this case comprises a cross bar on which two liquid tight substantially tubular columns 2|, 22 may be fixedly attached. Preferably this attachment is however adjustable. Each of said two columns is therefore provided with a head 38 which may be fixed on the crossbar 20 by means of adjustment screws 23, 24. v Each tubular column 2|, 22 consists of a liquid tight box or case 25 forming a compartment 26 which has an opening 2! surrounded by an internally threaded tubular projecting sleeve 28. A tubular distance piece 29 of appropriate length and provided with fine threads 30, 3| at both ends engages the threads of the sleeve 28 and is held therein in a liquid tight manner. end the tubular distance piece 29 carries a holder or frame 32 provided with an internally threaded sleeve 33 engaging the threads 3| of the tubular distance piece. Said holder or frame 32 moreover comprises a prism support 34 joined to the sleeve 33 but providedwith an opening 31 at the junction.

The construction of the two columns 2|, 22 is alike and corresponding parts are therefore pro-: vided with identical reference numerals. The prism supports 34 of the two columns 2|, 22 carry the two prisms 35, 36 respectively each of which has a reflecting surface 40 arranged at an angle of approximately with respect to the axis of the column. The two outer surfaces of the prisms are turned towards each other and these faces are held in exact parallelism to each other at a distance which is fixedand adjusted by means of the screws 23, 24 in the head 33.

The box 25 of the column 2| carries a lamp socket 4|, preferably arranged in the axis of the column which is provided with appropriate elecwhich is of the customary type and which sendsits rays through opening 27 to acollector lens system 48. The lens system 48 is arranged in and is carried by the tubular distance piece 29 and it directs the rays towards therefiecting' prism 35 from the reflecting surface 40 of which the rays are reflected and are sent through the column of liquid the turbidity of which has to be analyzed and which is defined by the two faces of the prisms 35, 36 turned towards each other.

The beam'then reaches the second prism 36', passes through said prism to the reflecting surface 4|! and is then reflected along the axis of the tubular distance piece 29 towards the box 25 of the column 22 in which the selenium or other photo-electric cell 50 is arranged so as to cover'; the opening 21 of the box 25. A heavily insulated j t will be unde'rstood that the lens system 48 may focus the b'eamin such awayth atit is can;

c'ehtrated'in the wellknown manner so that the actiono'fthe beam andjthe cell current maybe proportional} Theabo-ve described construction "permits the passage ofthe analyzing 'beam at 'a point which iso'nly at-"a very short distance above the; lowermasseuse of theunit. It will also be noted that the"coli'1mns2l,' 22 taper off into a -line atthe low? ei'i'riost' ehdi Thesecolumns are of relatively siiiall diameter andtherefore amovement of the uni V th ough" the liquid 1 and especially a move which measurements are made. r

- It will alsobe noted that this construction permitsthe beam "to come downwithin afraction of ah inch" of the bottom so that-measurements in the owest zone maybe made without anydifli culty i Th unit lflis preferably suspended on a steel tap 56 m such a manner that the crossbar isth e' ell'ido'f an arm of the gallows l2. While the roller is shownas being fixed on the projecting armof the gallows it will be clear that if a tank of considerable width has to be explored the roller will'be mounted on a'carriage attached to an endle'ssicable by 'means'of which the carriage may be m'oved along thearmo f the gallows; if neces The steel tape then runs througha slot el into the -nieter box I5 within which guide rollers 63, 64 are provided and is finally secured to a reeling spool or drum'tS-by means of which it may be reeledorunreeled. A crank 66 and a ratchet wheel and pawl 61 are provided for holding the spool or drum in i ts position and for rotating it.

The guide rollers'63 and 64 are so located within the box that the steel tape passes close to the front wants of the box. lnthefront WZUllfWllldoWS-GS are provided which carry a mark 79; Lenses f or magnifying half-cylindric pieces of glass or plastic (not shown) may be inserted into tl'i indows permitti-ng toread the graduations of- =the tape passingthe-mark 10. The operator may thus lower the unit ID to a definite predetermined depth by observing the graduation marks on the steel tape.

The cables 44, 54 are preferably loosely suspended between the sleeves 45 and the further sleeve 12 which is carried by the post 51 by means of a short bracket. The cables may be reeled up separately by means of a drum but in the diagram 9. simple method is shown according to which the cables are provided with eyes M attached to them and surrounding the steel take 56. Between the eyes loops 15 are formed in the cables when the tape is wound up and the eyes are arrested on the upper end. The cables are then hanging down in loops when the unit I0 is raised to an upper level.

a vertical direction will hardly "cause disturbance of; the sediment in theltank which will be cap'able ofailecting the conditions under Theater mai'rirhh throiigha em-ten The meter box IE carries he] h e' a sietriao which provides the desiredturbidity/"indication; This microammeter is connected with'the sele- {This equipment is not shown in the "drawing and is not described as it does not "difier from the usual equipm turbidity meters.

The operation of the device includes the ois placement of the unit which is brought to the desired place along the tank, and it also incli des' j thelowering of the'unit l0 bymeans of the steel tape and the energizing of the exciter lamp whereupon'the microammeter may 'be read.

In aspeoial case in which forinstance'the height "of the sludge blanket" in a sedimentation I tankhas to be determined the operator will always: keepthe unit [0 immediately below'thewatei" level within thetank in order to keepthesurfaces of the prisms awet'"condition so as thpreveht clouding of the surfaces by" drying deposits." Moreover, if kept immersed, theproblem of prev venting condensation of moisture'in thetubulan columns and b'o'xes'is more easily solved because the temperature is approximately constanh'l Preferably a small quantity of silica gel orany].

othenmoisture "absorbing substance is carried within the compartment zsfwhi h absorbs the? moisture 'du e to 'condensationfollowing achange in temperature If moisture should have condensed, for instance because the silica gelghas absorbed all the moisture it-can carry, this fact is registered on the meter as, in clear wateryon the surface, for instance the meter would show less than the reading whichcorresponds to the mini== mum of absorption of the full beam. the unit must be withdrawn and must beprov'ided with a further supply of moisture absorbing" sub If the meter reading "indimpid water stances.

corresponds to'the accepted value the beam'bai'r ing unit may be lowered and the meter isobserved.

easily as in the said zone rapid fluctuations occur.

It is important in such a case that the beam carrying unit should not disturb the sludge blanket as otherwise a determination of the surface zone is less accurate and is more diflicult.

After having completed the measurements the beam unit is best kept near the surface with the prism surfaces immersed in water as above indicated.

It is important that the prism faces which are turned towards the water are vertical as they will be clean when moved about in this position and as in this case a deposit of substances on. the sur faces is prevented.

Two beams l9 and 19a (Fig. 5) may be used in one and the same apparatus at a certain spot provided on the projecting arm of" the gtno s ent used in connection with other In this case for the purpose of automatically announcing the lowering of the sludge blanket or the rising of the blanket above a certain level. In this case an indicator 86 such as a light or a bell is connected with the microammeter.

The sensitivity of the arrangement may of course be selected according to the circumstances. In exploring operations such as above described in which conditions at different points of a tank have tobe investigated currently it is usually only necessary to supply relative or comparative indications.

It will be understood that changes of an unes sential nature will not in any way affect the essence of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed.

as new is:

l. A device for measuring turbidity at a plurality of predetermined points within a body of liquid, comprising a substantially horizontal crossbar, two separate, spaced, liquid tight box structures, slidably mounted for separate movement'on said cross bar and shiftable and adjustable along said crossbar, means for fixing said box structures at a predetermined distance from eachother, said crossbar and box structures forming a submersible unit, one of said box structures enclosing an exciter lamp and the other enclosing a light sensitive photo-electric cell, a substantially vertical ray conducting tube projecting downwardly from each of said box structures, the tube projecting from the box enclosing the exciter lamp being provided with ray concentrating means producing a well defined bundle of rays of predetermined cross sectional area, reflecting prisms at the end of said tubes, one of the faces of the reflecting prisms being turned towards the tube and being perpendicular to the axis of the same and the other faces of the reflecting prisms being parallel to the said axis and facing each other,

thus forming a beam exit and beam entrance surface for the bundle of light rays respectively, at

a distance from the crossbar, means for support ing, lowering and lifting the submersible unit withinthe body of liquid, said means maintaining a substantial horizontal position of the crossbar and further means for displacing said unit and supporting means horizontally along said body of liquid. 1 2. A device for measuring turbidity at a pin rality of preselected points within a body of liquid, comprising a crossbar, two separate, spaced, submersible liquid tight box structures slidably mounted for separate movement and adapted to be shifted and adjustably fixed along said crossbar at a preselected distance from each other,- said crossbar and box structures forming a sub-f; mersible unit, a tube projecting from each box structure at right angles to the crossbar and a refleeting prism at the end of eachof said tubes. having a reflecting and two non-reflecting surfaces, said prism being so mounted that it forms a wedge at the end of the tube having its thin edge directed downwardly and acting as a flow directing, disturbance preventing element, one of said box structures enclosing in its interior an exciter lamp, directed towards the reflecting surface of the reflecting prism at the end of the tube, said tube being provided with ray concentrating optical means for producing a concentrated light beam of predetermined cross sectional area, the other box structure enclosing a light sensitive photo-electric cell, turned towards the reflecting surface of the reflecting prisms at the end tubes, the non-reflecting surfaces of the prisms being at right angles to the axes of the tubes and parallel to the tube axes respectively, the last named non-reflecting surfaces being the beam exitand beam entrance surfaces, facing each other across a stretch of liquid of a length determined by the adjustment of the position of the box structure on the crossbar, a steel tape provided with gradua; tions attached to said crossbar, a fixed structure outside the body of liquid, including a projecting arm supporting guide rollers and a reel for said steel tape, said structure being provided with supporting means horizontally displaceable along the body of liquid, a meter box attached to said dis-'- placeable outside structure, the meter box containing said reel and an electric measuring instrument and means for supplying current to said lamp and to said light sensitive photo-electric cell,

said means including an insulated cable leading from said meter box to each of said box structures for connecting the measuring instrument and themeans for supplying current to said photo-electric cell and to said exciter lamp respectively, and; said box being further provided with a window and with a marker, the former being arranged so as to display the steel tape and its graduation, with the marker furnishing an indication of the depth to which the beam emitting prisms has been lowered readable simultaneously with the reading,

of the measuring instrument.

PAUL MCH. ALBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Laidig et al Sept. 21,1948 

